Queues in computer systems are general communication mechanisms that are used by the computer programs operating on the computer system to temporarily store queued objects (e.g., data packets, commands, pointers, messages, and so forth). For example, a database program may be receiving streaming data from a data input port on a computer system. This data, upon receipt from the data input port, is temporarily stored in a queue and subsequently processed when the processor executing the database program become available.
Queues are typically “hardwired” in that they are configured in system hardware and, therefore, do not adapt to the applications running on the computer system.